Tossing and turning at night? Counting sheep not working? I empathize with you. Last night I lay in bed, tossing and turning. I got up and made sure the heat was off, and turned the fan on. I took a pain reliever and drank a glass of milk. My eyes felt like sandpaper. I tried image meditation. Know the feeling? Are you like me, tired of counting sheep? Read on to discover 10 Tips for Better Sleep.
Here are 10 tips for better sleep to help improve your sleep quality:
1. Stick to a sleep schedule:
Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This helps regulate your body’s internal clock. If you need to create a separate sleep schedule, place it in your phone or your planner where you will see it. If you stay up late watching TV, put a sticky note on the TV with your new bedtime schedule so you remember when to turn off the TV. New habits take time to build, so making it visible is a good first step to take.
2. Create a bedtime routine:
Establish a relaxing bedtime routine to signal to your body that it’s time to wind down. James Clear, expert in habit creation suggests in his book Atomic Habits (listen to that here) that one thing to help make a habit stick is pairing it with other actions. Activities like reading, taking a warm bath, or practicing relaxation techniques at bedtime pair activities with preparing for sleep, effectively telling our bodies that it is time to sleep. This physically tells our body that we want to sleep.
3. Create a comfortable environment for better sleep:
Can’t sleep because you are too hot or too cold? Maybe there is too much light? Make sure your bedroom is conducive to sleep by keeping it dark, quiet, and cool. Utilizing black-out curtains will help keep your bedroom dark, increasing melatonin levels, and helping you sleep. Keep your room below 67 degrees to ensure you are not too hot or too cold. Invest in a comfortable mattress and pillows, and consider using white noise machines if needed.
4. To improve sleep, limit exposure to screens:
It’s tempting when you are unable to sleep to turn on your phone and scroll, hoping to be lulled into sleepiness. Avoid using electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers before bedtime, as the blue light emitted can interfere with your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. “Anything on a screen typically stimulates us more than it relaxes us,” says Dr. Randall Wright, a neurologist at Houston Methodist. “And when we’re stimulating our brains before bedtime, there can be consequences.”
When we interact with and watch things on our devices, it may not feel mentally or emotionally stimulating, but it is.
“Scrolling through Facebook is very different than reading a relaxing book,” says Dr. Wright. “And our bedtime routine should be the things we do to wind down, not stimulate us.”
Dr. Wright says that a lot of the content on our devices piques our interest and mind instead of relaxing us. This means that instead of letting our brains wind down, we’re stimulating them.
So, instead of picking up your phone, turn your screens (all screens) off 90 minutes before sleep. Replace that screen time with something else more conducive to relaxation: read a book, meditate, or journal.
5. Watch your caffeine intake:
Limit your consumption of caffeine, especially in the afternoon and evening, as it can disrupt your ability to fall asleep. My rule of thumb is to not drink anything caffeinated at least 6-8 hours before sleep. When I do eat or drink something caffeinated within the 6-8 hours before I sleep, my brain has an extremely hard time winding down. My body tells me it can’t relax either because my leg muscles tense and sometimes my whole body itches. Sound familiar?
6. Exercise regularly to improve sleep:
Engaging in regular physical activity can help promote better sleep. Your body needs to move during the day and physically work. However, when you exercise or engage in physical labor before bed, there is essentially, nothing for the endorphins produced by your workout to do. These endorphins usually give us energy for up to 90 minutes after stopping exercise. I don’t know about you, but when I am ready to sleep, the last thing I need is adrenaline coursing through my system. Try to avoid vigorous exercise within 90 minutes of bedtime as it may energize you and make it harder to fall asleep.
7. Manage your stress level to sleep better:
Nothing keeps me awake at night more than worrying about something troubling me. At night, our subconscious mind solves problems while we relax, but sometimes that can spill over into our conscious thoughts. How to quiet the mind chatter and anxiety? Practice stress-reduction techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation to help calm your mind and prepare for sleep. To read more about easy ways to meditate click here.
8. Watch your diet:
It’s easy to catch ourselves snacking or eating dessert in the evening after dinner, especially if we are watching a movie. To make matters worse, there is conflicting advice about whether or not it is actually good for our bodies. The truth is, you should avoid eating before bed, says registered dietitian Alexis Supan, RD. But, she adds, that’s not always realistic. Supan outlines the good and the bad about eating before bed and what’s OK to eat if you have to.
It’s all about the way your body adjusts its insulin sensitivity. Your body is more sensitive in the morning on purpose. “That’s to help fuel our bodies, get us moving and get us through the day,” explains Supan. “But our insulin resistance kicks up at night.” The result is that those extra calories coming from your late-night meal or snack are stored as fat while you sleep instead of being burned throughout the day.
Another reason that eating late is bad is because that’s when we tend to make less healthy decisions about what we consume. “At night is when we eat the unhealthy stuff — chips, cookies, ice cream — as part of our nighttime relaxation routine. But it’s also mindless eating,” says Supan.
Again, the best-case scenario is that you don’t eat anything before bed. But that’s also not always realistic. Maybe work keeps you up late or your eating schedule gets thrown off and you need, well, something.
“If you’re really hungry, steamed or raw vegetables is the best way to go,” says Supan. But if you’re in need of something sweet, there are options that won’t do too much damage:
- Vegetables (carrots, broccoli) with hummus.
- Other steamed or raw vegetables like grape tomatoes or snap peas.
- An apple with a tablespoon of peanut butter.
- Some fruit with a small piece of dark chocolate.
- Greek yogurt.
These options provide your body with protein and some healthy fat while also helping you feel full.
Just as important as what you eat before bed, though, is how much you eat, says Supan. “It’s really important to think about portions,” she notes. “When we get in a lot of trouble is when we’re just mindlessly eating out of a big container while watching TV or playing video games. It’s almost like having an infinite supply, which is dangerous.”
What foods should be avoided before bed:
Caffeine: “Not only does it disrupt your sleep, but it plays a huge role in weight gain,” says Supan, noting a lot of caffeine intake in the evenings comes from soda and other high-sugar drinks.
Alcohol: Besides extra calories, this can also can be disruptive to sleep. “Some people react differently to alcohol. While it may relax you before bed, it may still be disruptive,” says Supan. “Pay attention to how it affects you.”
Other tips include avoiding heavy meals, spicy foods, and excessive liquids close to bedtime, as these can cause discomfort and disrupt sleep.
When Should I Stop Eating Before Bed?
The best time to stop eating is about three hours before going to bed. That allows plenty of time for your body to digest the last food you ate so it won’t disrupt your sleep, but leaves a small enough window before sleep that you won’t go to bed feeling hungry. It also gives people with acid reflux time to avoid symptoms before bed.
Eating your last meal too early is also a concern, though, says Supan: “If you’re going to bed hungry, that can also be disruptive to your sleep which can have some negative effects.”
For people who are early diners but late to bed, a late evening snack — a healthy one like the suggestions above — might be a good idea to avoid disruptive hunger. “That late evening snack, as long as it’s healthy, could even be beneficial to helping you sleep better in those circumstances.”
As for a specific time, Supan says it really depends on your day. Whether you eat earlier in the day, so your last meal is at 5 or 6 p.m., or you’re more of a night owl, so your last meal is at 8 or 9 p.m. or later, it’s that three-hour window that’s most important.
Keeping a three-hour window helps ensure less disruptive sleep and a healthier body when you wake and get ready to face the day.
9. Limit naps:
While short naps during the day can be beneficial, especially if you’re sleep-deprived, limit them to 20-30 minutes. My husband swears by 10-minute power naps to give him a boost when he hasn’t slept well. Another tip is to avoid napping too close to bedtime. Napping close to bedtime will disrupt your circadian rhythm making it much harder to feel sleepy when it is time to sleep.
10. Use a supplement to help you fall asleep:
While all of the above are great to start with, sometimes those things just don’t help your body fast enough. Our pediatrician recommends melatonin to us when our children have sleep issues. Other recommended natural and easy-to-obtain supplements are:
- Valerian root, an herb that has sedative effects
- Magnesium, a mineral that relaxes your muscles and nerves
- Lavender, a plant that has calming and soothing properties
- Passionflower, an herb that reduces anxiety and stress
Definitely seek help before ingesting any of these remedies. Personally, lavender essential oil sprayed onto my pillow tends to relieve stress and tension, helping me relax. Sometimes, I put just a little on the tip of my nose for a stronger effect (diluted in a carrier oil of course).
Magnesium and calcium at bedtime help to relax muscles which in turn also helps your body sleep. It is also quite effective for jumpy or restless legs.
Seek professional help if needed:
If you consistently struggle with sleep despite trying these tips, consider speaking with a healthcare professional or sleep specialist for further evaluation and guidance. Perhaps a prescribed sleep study may help find the underlying cause of the sleep issue.
